Indiana man gets prison for threatening abortion clinics

CHICAGO (AP) — A northwestern Indiana man who pleaded guilty to federal charges alleging he sent threatening messages to two Chicago-area abortion clinics has been sentenced to 1½ years in prison.

Thirty-five-year-old Luke Wiersma of Dyer was given his punishment Tuesday for sending a threat to injure and intimidating employees of a reproductive health services provider.

U.S. District Court Judge Manish Shah described the use of threats as "terrorism."

Wiersma apologized, saying he "had no right to push my beliefs" on those involved with the clinics and knows his actions "terrorized them."

Federal prosecutors have said Wiersma posted online threats in 2017 through the websites of clinics in Hammond, Indiana, and Chicago. Court records say Wiersma wrote in one case, "I will blow you up if I have to, burn the clinic down."